Mathieu van der Poel: "It's so hard to win a Monument that it doesn't really matter which one you win"
Cycling
Being an incredibly talented rider in more than one discipline is a luxury in pro cycling, however sometimes it comes with a lot of responsibility. Mathieu van der Poel is currently aiming at big victories in both road cycling and cyclocross, and has talked about the monuments specifically in a recent interview.
“It is not that Roubaix is more important than Flanders this year. I would be very happy to win another Flanders. It's so hard to win a Monument that it doesn't really matter which one you win," van der Poel said in an interview with TopCycling.pt.
The Dutchman is a two-time winner of the Tour des Flandres and will aim for a third triumph this spring. “I feel a strong pain in my legs at the end," he describes the Belgian monument. "They are special events, you have to know the races, you have to know how to read them, positioning is super important and tactics are part of the game. That's what makes them super exciting.”
Alongside that, Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix are both very real targets for the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider. He's been close to winning both, but in these days the very best in cycling come out to race in their best form and so far the Dutchman hasn't been able to take a title.
Lately there have been concerns over his back and how it could affect his spring. He's shrugged off real worries, stating that “when I go easy on the road I feel good." In Koksijde and Zonhoven, two heavy sand courses, he's struggled with back pain, reminiscing of last year's problems.
"Today we did some lactate tests, I had to go deep and I'm not 100% yet, but I'm better because of the treatment I've been doing. On the road it is obviously better than in cyclo-cross which is more intense for the back and I hope to be able to ride as I usually ride," he continued.
Before he eyes the monuments however, van der Poel has his sights in the cyclocross World Championships. There, he will inevitably have to face and beat Wout van Aert if he is to take the rainbow jersey.
“I really wanted to do cyclo-cross again because the year before, due to my back injury, I only did one and a half races. It was something I wanted a lot, to return to cyclo-cross. Of course. The races are so far apart that it's possible to win both. I'm sure it's possible," van der Poel concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment